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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · bark · cap · stem · band · track · field · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — a subject
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. field — farmland
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. track — a song
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. band — a music group
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. band — a ring
  23. track — a path
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com